


Arthur/Eames Drabbles

by slashmania



Series: Drabbles [1]
Category: Inception (2010)
Genre: ...it can stop me from going outside, Coronavirus can't stop me from writing fic!, Drabble Collection, Fluff, Love, M/M, being the best couple, but not from writing fic!, in and out of dreamshare
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-20
Updated: 2020-07-12
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:35:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 115
Words: 11,500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23237038
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/slashmania/pseuds/slashmania
Summary: One fluffy drabble for every day I'm stuck in my home because of the increasing spread of coronavirus!
Relationships: Arthur/Eames (Inception)
Series: Drabbles [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2110242
Comments: 394
Kudos: 141





	1. What?

**Author's Note:**

> Day One: What?

Arthur looked around at the dreamscape. It was always good to have layouts available that could be used at a moment’s notice, but he had no idea why Eames was so keen on testing this river setting.

“What are your thoughts on it?” Eames said and continued rowing their boat.

“It’s pleasant,” Arthur answered as he dipped his fingers into the water. The tall trees off the banks of the river offered plenty of shade. “It’s very soothing. Are you thinking of using this during an extraction?”

“I thought you deserved a break,” Eames said. “Recreational dreaming has its benefits!”


	2. Cigarette

Eames was ready to go, but Arthur was pulling at Eames’s elbow.

“We’re to shelter-in-place, Eames.”

Eames was looking a little desperate. “But we’re out. I promise I’ll keep three feet away from people. I’ve got my winter gloves and a bandana mask because the medical supplies are better used at the hospital-”

Arthur tugged again, clearly worried. “We don’t _need_ cigarettes, Eames! I did research on alternatives. I’ve got nicotine patches, frozen grapes, gum. We can even watch Netflix as a distraction!”

Eames was intrigued. “Can we watch _Sherlock_ again?”

Arthur’s worried frown was replaced by relief. “Of course!”


	3. Are You Challenging Me?

This wouldn’t be the first time they resorted to this.

“I accept your challenge, Mr. Eames,” Arthur said.

“I can already taste victory, darling, and it’s sweet!” Eames was confident.

Then they extended one hand, linked their fingers with their thumbs remaining up.

“One, two, three, four I declare a thumb war!”

Arthur attempted to pin Eames’s thumb. Eames tried to tire Arthur by going for the knuckle. It was fierce, but Arthur won!

Just like Eames planned.

Arthur offered him half of the last donut they’d played for, saying, “You let me win.”

“I like seeing you happy, Arthur.”


	4. Progress

“Thank you, guardian angel.”

Arthur’s answer was clear through Eames’s earpiece.

_“I’m no angel.”_

“You warned me about the passing guard.”

Arthur snorted, amused. “ _This was the point of me hacking their cameras on the day security was short.”_

Eames cautiously exited the closet. “Can I call you _lovely_ , Arthur?”

_“No comment.”_

Eames reached the office he needed to break into. He picked the lock and entered the room.

 _“Did you_ really _need me for this?”_

“Maybe I like you watching my back.”

Eames stuffed a folder into his jacket.

_“Still not an angel, Mr. Eames.”_

“To me you are.”


	5. Obsession

Arthur rolled his eyes as Eames, already prepared for a solo job, stood behind him.

“I’m going to be late, Eames. Can we not do this now?”

But Eames was already toying with Arthur’s tie, tutting to himself. He undid it, slid it from beneath Arthur’s shirt collar, and then used the view from the mirror before them to fix Arthur’s tie in a perfect double Windsor knot.

“I think you’re a little obsessed,” Arthur commented as Eames carefully adjusted the knot.

Eames pressed a kiss against Arthur’s cheek. “You’re perfect – go out to that warehouse and give them hell!”


	6. Desert

“Come on, we’re leaving!”

Eames was still a little sluggish from the sedative in the Somnacin but he was getting out of his chair. Arthur held the PASIV in one hand and his gun in the other.

“What happened to your eye, darling?!”

Arthur gently brushed Eames’s hand away from his fresh black eye. “Our architect suggested I leave you behind. Don’t worry, I gave him something much worse.”

“Next time we’ll call up Ariadne.”

The mark was just starting to wake up. Arthur holstered his gun so he could reach for Eames’s hand, and they left the scene together.


	7. Happiness

It was almost 9 a.m. and they were still cuddled together in bed.

“At first I thought you were trying to hint about morning sex before breakfast.”

“No, you didn’t,” Eames said as he nudged Arthur’s foot with his own.

They were comfortable and warm, so it wasn’t surprising when Arthur started to drift off again.

“Keep talking to me so I can stay awake,” he said against Eames’s shoulder.

Eames laughed and pressed a kiss against Arthur’s brow. “You won’t miss anything, love. I promise we’ll still have terrible bedhead and morning breath.”

“You ass,” Arthur muttered softly.


	8. Sorrow

It was the anniversary of Mal’s death.

Arthur didn’t really want to talk about it, or her, or what happened. He just wanted to take a day and reflect on his dearest friend, the one who he believed was lovely.

Eames would try to make sure that Arthur knew he was only trying to help.

Arthur smiled up at Eames who offered him a cup of tea.

“Does tea fix everything?” Arthur asked, accepting the mug and patting the empty space next to him on the couch. Eames sat.

“Sometimes.”

Arthur sighed and leaned against Eames but didn’t say anything.


	9. Alone

Eames called Arthur while holding the note he’d left.

Arthur picked up on the second ring and said, “You could be forging those passports instead of calling.”

“I could have done my forging with you around. You didn’t have to leave me alone!”

“Maybe I wanted to go on a walk like my note said?”

Eames already knew that...but he was by himself and Arthur had left before Eames woke. He just wanted to hear him talk.

“I’m upset you signed your name with _xo_ but didn’t hug or kiss me.”

“I’ll do it twice when I get back.”


	10. Break

“No thanks,” Arthur said without looking away from his laptop screen. It was a shame because Eames had sent an alluring look his way while seated on the edge of the desk.

“But it’s lunch time, Arthur! Look at you, practically wasting away in your chair while you do...whatever that is.” Eames rushed to add, “I’m sure it’s brilliant!”

Arthur laughed. He hit save, he closed his laptop, and then looked up at Eames.

“I’m wasting away?”

“Definitely. It’s break time.”

“Let’s go on a break,” Arthur agreed. “Can’t exist on coffee alone, right?”

“Coffee, determination, and granola bars.”


	11. Spiral

“And then you pull the ribbon across the scissors while continuing to press with your thumb!”

Eames followed Cobb’s directions and curled the ribbon attached to the wrapped gift. It became a pleasant curl, just the spiral he’d failed to create on his own.

“I don’t mind helping out, but you could have asked Arthur too. He’s helped me wrap gifts for the kids for years and knows all the tricks.”

Eames briefly looked up at Cobb. Did he have to spell it out? Say it outright? Eames wasn’t going to ruin this surprise for Arthur!

“He was too busy.”


	12. Content

The lock turned. Arthur rolled off of his lumpy couch, crouching on the ground so he could reach for the baseball bat he kept underneath it.

He was ready and waiting when the door swung open and revealed a travel-worn Eames. When Eames saw the bat, he held up both hands in surrender and dropped his keys to the floor.

“You didn’t get my text?”

“I’ll check it later,” Arthur answered. Then he dropped the bat and moved to embrace Eames. “It’s been weeks! Now that you’re back I can get a full night’s sleep!”

“Let’s get you to bed.”


	13. Garden

“Growing a garden around me is just so pretty...”Arthur trailed off as he looked up at the blue sky. This dream was so relaxing.

“I don’t have to work hard to make it pretty.”

Arthur laughed, but didn’t move and risk crushing the flowers that now grew around him.

“Yellow tulips,” Eames recited as he looked down the length of Arthur’s body, his garden. “Red chrysanthemums, dwarf sunflowers...but what’s this?”

Arthur sat up and noticed the ivy next to Eames’s foot. It was already snaking up Eames’s leg!

Arthur’s smile widened. “I’ve been meaning to ask you something.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The meanings of the flowers (according to the Old Farmer's Almanac which uses traditional Victorian meanings and symbolism) are:  
> Yellow tulips- Sunshine in your smile.  
> Red chrysanthemums- I love you.  
> Dwarf sunflowers- Adoration.  
> Ivy- Friendship, fidelity, marriage.


	14. Cat

Eames quietly approached Arthur, who was currently using one of the warehouse lounge chairs for actual lounging, taking a cat nap. Arthur looked peaceful as the afternoon sunshine spilled in through the nearby window.

Eames intended to turn away and leave, but ended up watching for another minute.

Arthur softly said, “Yes, Eames?”

Eames apologetically smiled even if Arthur still had his eyes shut and wouldn’t notice!

“How did you know it was me?”

Arthur smiled and stretched. “You’re wearing my cologne again.”

Eames gently stroked Arthur’s cheek. Arthur leaned into the touch, his smile widening.

“I don’t mind, Eames.”


	15. Moonlight

They were following around the mark and his girlfriend; Cobb deemed it necessary for them to be shadowed on their date, and when it became apparent that the young couple intended to hit the local lovers lane, Eames had to ask Arthur along.

Not that either man really minded.

“Between the moonlight, the romance, and your delightful disposition, I don’t think I’ll be able to stop myself from leaning over the gearshift and playing the part of an amorous lover.”

Arthur stared, but slowly smirked in response. “First we quietly get the information, Eames. Then we make out like teens.”


	16. Positive

“It’s positive,” Arthur drunkenly whispered to Eames as he was helped through the front door. “I’m- Eames, I’m gonna be an uncle!”

Eames was trying hard not to laugh at poor drunken Arthur. It was likely when Mal shared the news with him, she’d instructed him to celebrate with her and have many drinks for the both of them because she couldn’t have alcohol now.

And Arthur, that gallant idiot, did exactly that.

“Am I gonna be the _best_?”

“You’ll be the best,” Eames agreed sincerely.

“Yay for me!” Arthur cheered before giving Eames’s neck a sloppy kiss.

“Oh, darling.”


	17. Standing Still

Arthur was frozen.

“Why did we think freeze tag was a good idea?”

“Boredom,” Eames answered happily, still several feet away from Arthur as they played a variation on the game to pass the time while stuck inside. “I love that you suggested a freeze time of one minute!”

“Just thirty more seconds,” Arthur grumbled, “then I can tag you!”

Eames slowly walked to Arthur. He stopped when they were close enough to kiss, and then briefly pressed their lips together.

“Tag _again_ , love,” he whispered as he pulled away triumphantly!

Arthur hissed, “We agreed that’s against the rules, Eames!”


	18. Scar

“I can do it,” Eames said while laying on the couch in the nearest safe house.

“You probably have a concussion, so I’m not letting you handle a needle or stitch your own wounds.”

Eames saw that Arthur was already kneeling next to the couch with the supplies arranged on top of a clean towel. Arthur was preparing the lidocaine, but continued to talk.

“This sort of looks like a smile. I’ll draw eyes above it after it heals.”

“I’ll have a smiley scar?” Eames felt the first prick of the needle.

“Sure. Now this is going to pinch, okay?”


	19. World

“I can _also_ show you the world,” Eames said to Arthur as they both sat in front of the television screen.

 _“Shh, I’m reliving my childhood!”_ Arthur whispered, reaching for another piece of popcorn from the bowl between them.

Eames watched more of the magic carpet ride. Then he looked back to Arthur.

“You’re watching an animated thief who lacks nipples.”

“I’m sitting next to a real thief who should be thankful that this was my favorite movie when I was little."

“You took a chance on me because of a movie?”

“And you’re hot, don’t forget that you’re hot.”


	20. Mother

“You don’t have to do this,” Arthur said, still in bed with a nasty cold.

“I got advice from the best. Why don’t you say hello?” Eames handed Arthur the cordless house phone that was on speaker.

 _“Baby, he’s going to make your favorite soup,”_ Arthur’s mother said.

Arthur groaned in annoyance. “You called my _mother_?”

But Eames was already heading out of their room and towards the kitchen.

Arthur took the call off speaker and said, “I don’t even know how he got your number.”

_“He was worried, dear.”_

Arthur sniffled and reached for another tissue. “I know, Mom.”


	21. Band-Aid

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Go, gallant idiot Arthur!

Eames carefully peeled another Dora the Explorer band-aid. Arthur winced and said, “Why didn’t I shave this morning?”

“You were a little busy,” Eames answered, “It was something about Cobb and Mal wanting you to babysit. You ran to their aid, and then let little Phillipa cover you in band-aids.”

“I was a mummy,” Arthur explained, still slightly embarrassed. To prevent her tears he’d kept the bandages on for the drive home. Mal and Cobb did little to hide their amusement.

“You’re such a gallant idiot,” Eames fondly said, kissing Arthur’s Dora-free cheek.

“I’m the best uncle,” Arthur tiredly admitted.


	22. Tradition

Arthur stood at the bar, nursing his whiskey.

He felt a deft hand reaching for his wallet and briefly frowned when he noticed a second hand blatantly grabbing his ass.

He looked to his left and spotted the empty beer bottle. Arthur put down his whiskey, grabbed the bottle by the neck, and then broke it against the bar to make an improvised weapon.

As Arthur turned to face him, Eames stepped away, already holding Arthur’s wallet and smiling without fear.

“I’m looking for Arthur...I was checking your ID?”

Arthur smiled and said, “Happy Anniversary.”

“More than happy, love.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love making their anniversary be the first time they met rather than when they started dating. I might revisit this. Maybe.


	23. Food

“Enjoy!”

Lenny the barkeep presented their food with a broad smile. He was paid handsomely to open the bar for them during their anniversary. The reenactment was too much fun!

They were perched on stools in front of the bar, a plate of sliders and onion rings before them.

“Just like the first time, love,” Eames was saying fondly.

Arthur smirked. “You didn’t grab my ass the first time we met here!”

“I seriously thought about it, but wisely decided against it.”

“I can’t believe I fell for you.”

“I’m a lucky man,” Eames agreed.

Arthur only smiled in response.


	24. Mask

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another "Arthur and Eames stuck inside because of coronavirus" drabble!

“No, darling.”

“You’re stressed out.”

Eames wasn’t wowed by what Arthur had mixed together in the kitchen. “Why would I put avocado, honey, and oats on my face?”

“It’s called self-care. I’d take you to the spa but coronavirus has messed up a lot of things. So we’ve continued to adapt.”

Arthur was right.

Date night was every Friday with take-out delivery shared on the patio. Karaoke on Tuesday. Maybe they needed to add a self-care day too. He agreed, finally.

“I challenge you to another round of Mario Kart while this stuff dries.”

“I accept! Now come over here...”


	25. No Time

Arthur paused his typing when he felt Eames’s hands on his shoulders.

“I appreciate this, but I’m on a deadline.”

Eames continued to massage Arthur’s shoulders, placidly saying, “You’re a dangerous dream criminal, Arthur. I heard somewhere that criminals don’t respect deadlines...”

Arthur sighed and enjoyed the massage.

“Even criminals respect deadlines. Smart criminals probably do. I’m a smart criminal who doesn’t have time for even a really nice shoulder rub,” Arthur said regretfully.

Eames understood. He stopped the shoulder rub but pressed an apologetic kiss against Arthur’s temple.

“You’ll make your deadline, and then there will be time later.”


	26. Ninja

Stealthily, Arthur entered the bedroom and walked past the bed.

He listened for the sound of Eames’s deep breathing, and carefully put the mug of hot tea on the nightstand.

Arthur was about to turn and creep away when something tugged on his bathrobe. He turned and spotted Eames, wide awake.

“Where is my tea-delivering ninja going?”

“I didn’t want to wake you.”

“I bet my tea doesn’t need honey because you’re so sweet,” Eames teased.

Arthur tugged the bathrobe from Eames’s hands.

“It’s just the way you like it.”

“As sweet as you, darling.”

Arthur only rolled his eyes.


	27. Multitasking

Their fancy bottle of wine shattered. There wasn’t an accompanying scream of terror, so it seemed that the restaurant was now completely empty of other dining couples. Good.

Arthur already had his gun out as they hid beneath the table. Wine and broken glass was everywhere. He carefully ducked from under the table, not slipping in the wine or cutting himself on the glass, all to shoot at their attacker!

“That’s for ruining date night!” Eames yelled as he yanked Arthur back to safety. “Did you get him?”

Arthur nodded. “Pretty sure. Let’s run!”

They ended up rescheduling that date.


	28. Sword

“Oh my god.”

When you move in together and your stuff gets all mixed up, it’s only a matter of time before your partner finds something embarrassing.

Eames backed out of the closet he’d been digging through, and turned to Arthur presenting what he’d found.

“ _You have lightsabers, darling?!”_

Arthur winced. He wanted his apartment floor to suddenly open up and swallow him. He, a dangerous dream criminal, shouldn’t love something so dorky...but he did. Star Wars was an old favorite.

Then Eames excitedly pressed one of the lightsabers into Arthur’s hand and said, “I love Star Wars, too!”


	29. Photo

“This is the worst hiding place!” Arthur hissed to Eames after he’d quickly drawn the curtain.

“We weren’t spoiled for choice.”

The photo booth was hardly a comfortable spot to wait for the men following them to give up searching the crowded shopping mall.

“Right, I know...wait, what are you doing?”

Eames put some money into the machine before them, pressed a button, and then said, “Smile.”

* * *

The strip of pictures included:

Arthur covering his face as Eames smiled.

Arthur glaring as Eames gave him bunny ears.

Arthur smiling while Eames points at his dimples.

Arthur softly kissing Eames.


	30. Pirate

The man on the porch had been in the process of kneeling to pick up the package left in front of the door. That door opened and the porch pirate froze.

“Leave it alone,” a voice drawled.

The porch pirate licked his lips, probably reasoning that he could run away with it faster than Arthur could react.

Arthur sighed and pulled his weapon, shooting that man in the face with a squirt gun filled with water and dehydrated habanero pepper powder.

The man cursed and scrambled away. Arthur picked up the package and said, “Your package arrived, Eames!”

“Wonderful, love!”


	31. Solitude

Arthur took a deep breath, then exhaled, and supposed that he could clear his mind if he really had to.

He kept doing the breathing thing because every guide he’d read on meditation seemed to think it was extremely important.

As he sat in their empty bedroom he tried to think of his happy place, the place where he’d be most at peace. Then he frowned mightily because he was _alone_ right now.

Arthur reached for his cell phone.

“How’s it going, love?”

“Meditation isn’t for me, Eames...I’m coming back out there to have some coffee with you, okay?”


	32. Egyptian

Eames was currently shirtless and struggling with a very excited and muddy dog in the bathtub.

“I know what you’re going to say, darling-” Eames was interrupted by the dog excitedly licking at his face.

Arthur reached for the Egyptian cotton bath towel hanging from the bathroom door.

“Here’s what we’ll do. After this dog has a nice bath and is dry, we’ll take a picture and make some flyers in case someone is looking for this dog. If nobody contacts us, we’ve got a new pet.”

Eames grinned and hugged the muddy dog to his chest. “Thank you, darling!”


	33. Tower

Arthur was competitive when playing Jenga. When Eames suggested Truth or Dare Jenga to make it more interesting, Arthur agreed happily.

For the last block he’d pulled, Arthur chose the dare.

“Oh, that can’t be comfortable, love...”

Arthur had taken a shot of hot sauce, and then followed it with a chaser of milk. “The dare was to take a shot from whatever was almost empty in our fridge. I rose to the challenge.”

Eames’s next turn toppled their tower.

“Jenga!” Arthur cried.

“Truly,” Eames said, “I didn’t let you win.”

“I dare you to a game of poker, Eames!”


	34. Heart

“What’s the worst insult you’ve gotten in dreamshare?”

Arthur considered this as he and Eames lounged in bed.

“I was called a heartless bastard for putting down Cobb’s projection of Mal. She was ruining the job and Cobb was continuing to say stuff like _I have it under control_.”

Eames edged himself closer to Arthur so he could press his ear against Arthur’s heart.

“...nope, they were obviously wrong. I can hear it hammering away inside your chest,” Eames confidently pronounced.

Arthur ran his fingers through Eames’s hair and smiled to himself. “That was so sappy, Eames. Way too sappy.”


	35. Soap Opera

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...I regret nothing.

The dish soap was shocked to find its lost twin.

“But-but,” Eames said, voicing the half-empty dish soap, “I thought you were _dead_ after we were separated from our packaging!”

Eames voiced the full dish soap. “Yes...you worked hard to get everyone up here believing that, didn’t you? _I was beneath the sink the whole time!_ ”

Arthur walked into the kitchen. Eames glanced over his shoulder.

“I swear I was going to wash dishes, but this seemed too fun.”

Arthur cracked a smile. “What if I _also_ want to play literal soap opera?”

“Okay, you’ll be the disbelieving sponge!”


	36. Princess

“You’re loving this way too much,” Arthur muttered as he played the role of royal bodyguard for Eames.

“I _am_ a princess for this job,” Eames said, using his most delicate and sweet forgery.

“Yes, you’re a princess but not a Disney princess.”

Eames pouted at Arthur, beginning to walk down the path where their mark’s projections stood on either side, not suspicious yet.

“Who says I won’t call all my animal friends to defend me if I absolutely have to?”

Arthur snorted. “Your animal friends won’t have the ability to pull a machine gun out of thin air, though.”


	37. Mutation

Eames closed the door to little James’s nursery. He happened to do this at the same time Arthur left Phillipa’s room with a book in hand.

“It could have been worse, darling. He dropped off pretty quickly.”

Arthur grimaced, but he did it fondly. “Phillipa made me read _Green Eggs and Ham_ twice.”

“Thankfully James can’t voice his opinions yet. He has to learn to talk first. I just talked to him about linguistics and he fell asleep during an explanation of consonant mutations.”

“Are you going for _best uncle_ , Eames?”

Eames scoffed. “No, we’ll hold that title together, darling!”


	38. Ocean

“What is this?” Arthur sputtered as he paddled to keep afloat. Eames was nearby but swam closer.

“This is a body of water covering roughly three fourths of the earth’s surface.”

Arthur struck the salty water so some of it splashed into Eames’s face. “I know it’s an ocean, Eames! But why did we wake up here? What happened to my city dreamscape? Where’s the mark?!”

Eames solemnly said, “I think we’re swimming above the city you built...care to dive down and explore with me?”

“I swear, Eames, if that mark’s a _mermaid_ now...”

Eames hummed “Under the Sea”.


	39. Caption

“It would have been great if when you said you liked putting together photo albums you also mentioned the captions you like to use.”

“But I wanted to see your face when you noticed them there!”

Arthur pointed to one page and said, “Why is this one of me and Cobb captioned as ‘Arthur: Internally Screaming’?”

Eames smiled. “Because I took this picture after Cobb roped you into babysitting again when you already had plans with me.”

“I love those kids,” Arthur argued. But Eames sort of had a point. “You do know me pretty well, don’t you?”

“Of course!”


	40. Doom

“I may not have liked that shirt,” Arthur was saying as he stood next to Eames in front of their washing machine, “but this was a sad way for it to go.”

“It was my favorite,” Eames said as he held what used to be one of his ugliest paisley shirts; the washing machine had practically ripped it to pieces. “I remember what you said when I first wore it...darling, could you?”

Arthur nodded and laid one hand against Eames’s shoulder. “That’s got to be the most horrible one yet. I’d say more, but that would hurt your feelings.”


	41. Broke

“Don’t do it.”

Eames paused what he was about to do, and looked over his shoulder.

“We don’t have many choices, Arthur. It’s this or nothing. If we fail, it’s another mark that’s going to attempt to get someone to kill us. Or, you know, blacken our names when dreamshare is mentioned in those high class criminal circles.”

Arthur grimaced. “The last time that happened it took me six flawless jobs and my new cold, badass point man persona to fix things.”

“You’re not cold, love, just focused.”

Arthur sighed, but finally agreed with Eames. “We’ll get this done together.”


	42. Numbers

“Can I have your number, Arthur?”

“I’ve always liked thirty-seven,” Arthur drawled.

“You know that’s not what I was asking for. May I have your digits? Pretty please, darling?”

Arthur rolled his eyes and sighed. “Are you going to jerk me around? Sell me out? It’s a burner phone that I’ll drop into the ocean once this job is over, so I don’t see why you’re bothering.”

Eames leaned against Arthur’s workspace. “Well, maybe I’m planning on asking you for your number again even if it’s another burner phone. You’re worth the effort, love. Let’s get to know each other.”


	43. Edgar Allan Poe

“Edgar Allan Poe could have written Cobb and Mal’s story,” Arthur said while flopped on the couch, his wine glass on the floor.

“I think you’ve had too much wine, Arthur,” Eames commented.

“Poe could have written a bunch of stuff that relates to dreamshare.”

“Yes, it’s a shame he’s been dead forever.”

Arthur rolled onto his side so he didn’t have to turn his head to look at Eames. “Do you think we’ll have that happen? That someone will start writing a bunch of stuff inspired by or related to dreamshare?”

“Perhaps,” Eames said, “now, let’s get you up.”


	44. Random

Eames was carrying a rather large box. Just as he got to the door and was considering how he was going to open it without putting the box down, Arthur approached and said, “I’ve got it!”

Arthur actually held the door open for Eames and gestured that he could go through first.

“Thank you, darling!”

Arthur smiled to himself and commented, “My fortune cookie suggested I perform random acts of kindness.”

“I think you just want an excuse to be sweet to me.”

Arthur didn’t say anything in response, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, but he did blush a little bit. 


	45. Anthro

Eames was resting his head against Arthur’s shoulder while the point man continued to sit at his desk and work. “This is really calming me down.”

Arthur looked away from the screen. “You might have to choose a different forgery if this is how it makes you feel afterwards.”

“The mark will respond to the one I’ve created,” Eames answered. “It’s an anthropomorphic wolf."

Arthur turned a little in his chair, softly touching Eames’s hair but not petting him. “You aren’t going to follow me to the bathroom again, are you?”

“It’s pack mentality,” Eames muttered. “Just keeping you safe.”


	46. Drop

Arthur woke suddenly as his chair was tipped backwards.

He flailed and couldn’t suppress seconds of panic written all over his face. Arthur fell into a nest of pillows to break his fall.

“That worked very well,” Yusuf commented, making notes on a clipboard while Eames laughed in the background.

Arthur forced himself up and then looked around at all the pillows. “I appreciate your efforts to protect me, but are all these pillows necessary?”

“I only put a couple there,” Yusuf said. “Eames added more after each test.”

Eames shrugged. “It looked like the first few falls hurt, darling.”


	47. Heal

“I woke you up?” Arthur asked while he sat at their kitchen table, dunking a teabag into his mug of hot water.

Eames took a seat across from Arthur. “I thought I’d check on you...it’s the dreams again?”

Arthur nodded, and stopped dunking his teabag so he could warm his hands against the mug. He didn’t drink.

“I think I’m ready to talk about it, Eames.”

Eames waited patiently for Arthur to begin, offering Arthur his hand to hold. Arthur’s palm was warmer from holding the mug of tea, but Eames didn’t mind.

“There’s no gravity on my level...”


	48. Convention

“Have I told you that I love you?”

“Yes. You’ve said it twice in the last five minutes, Arthur.”

Arthur hugged Eames tighter. “Then I’m going to say it again.”

Eames couldn’t stop himself from smiling as he hugged Arthur back.

“Who knew that agreeing to go to a Star Wars convention would lead to this display of affection?”

“Star Trek,” Arthur corrected him but paused and asked, “Do I not show you enough affection?”

“You show me plenty of affection, but it’s nice to learn more about your interests. I’m not silly enough to believe you only love _me_.”


	49. Vortex

“I hate this mark. I hate this dream. I hate that this is our only exit to avoid detection!”

“I agree with you completely,” Eames said as they ran across a countertop, only pausing to hide behind various items their now _giant_ mark had placed on the counter.

The mark had been doing dishes, but now looked like she was ready to unplug the sink and let the rinse water flow down the drain. This was their chance!

She unplugged the drain and then turned her back. Arthur and Eames jumped and the swirling vortex pulled them down the drain!


	50. Blood

“I don’t need your help, Eames!” Arthur’s voice was a little muffled.

Eames took a page out of his darling’s book; he rolled his eyes, which Arthur totally saw because he’d only slapped his hands over his nose, not his eyes.

“I’ve helped you with bullet wounds, love. I’ve stitched you up and taken care of you. Why should a sudden nosebleed be any different?”

Arthur must have been frowning because his brows furrowed a little like they sometimes did during a good frown.

“It’s just my allergies, Eames. This makes me feel gross.”

Eames still handed Arthur some tissues.


	51. Fear

“Are you...are you scared of this little thing?”

The little thing Arthur was referring to was a snake. A snake! It didn’t matter that they were in a dream, it didn’t matter at all, Eames still wanted to be far away from that snake. He was ready to shoot himself out of the dream to do it.

Arthur knelt down and let the snake slither away.

“I’m sorry, Eames,” Arthur said. “I didn’t know.”

He then gave Eames a hug, something apologetic but reassuring. “I should have known,” Arthur added. “I won’t forget that again.”

Eames sighed. “Thank you.”


	52. Dark

“We could just turn on the lights-”

“But the switch is already so far away. We’re halfway there, love!”

Arthur huffed in annoyance but continued to carefully walking through their hotel room in the dark.

“Ouch!”

“That was the coffee table,” Arthur said, having missed it. “Do you want some help?”

“I can do it,” Eames said, determined and slightly limping.

Eames walked into a chair, a dresser, and then the foot of the bed.

“I made it!” Eames said. He flopped down on the bed, exhausted.

“Yes, you did,” Arthur said, moving to find Eames the bottle of ibuprofen.


	53. Chains

“Got the key!” Arthur said after digging through their unconscious captor’s pockets.

He undid the handcuff on his other wrist, unlatching it and passing the key to Eames who was forced to remain close because of the length of the chain.

“Thank you, darling.”

“Those idiots thought they’d hamper us by cuffing us together,” Arthur muttered as he rubbed at his sore wrist, “they clearly didn’t do their research on us.”

Eames dropped the key and the cuff to the floor. “We fight, we bicker, but we do work extremely well together, don’t we?”

“Always,” Arthur agreed. “Now we’re free!”


	54. Friend

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A million years ago I went on incorrect-inception-quotes and submitted that _Sherlock_ quote for Arthur and Eames. I still love it! I will always love it!

“You’re joking!” Eames said from his spot on the floor.

Arthur shook his head, laying a foot away from Eames as they examined the ceiling fan and considered getting a new one.

“I meant it. I don’t have friends. I’ve just got one,” Arthur said seriously.

“You’re trying to woo me with more _Sherlock_ quotes, aren’t you? Isn’t Cobb supposed to be your friend?”

Arthur continued to look up at the ceiling fan as it spun on its lowest setting, still making that annoying clicking noise.

“You’re a much better friend, Eames. Let’s just go buy a new ceiling fan.”


	55. Envy

“Your dental care routine is just amazing...”

Arthur had to restrain himself from laughing because his mouth was full of toothpaste foam.

Arthur spit and rinsed before looking at Eames again. The forger was sitting on the edge of the bed and was still watching him through the open bathroom door.

“I had a few cavities when I was younger—then I had braces for a bit. I had to adopt a lot of routines so I could avoid future drillings and fillings. God forbid anything else!”

“I guess I envy you,” Eames said. “But I also love your smile!”


	56. Upside Down

Arthur and Eames ran!

Projections continued to follow after them but never got very far- Arthur and Eames were on the upside down staircase on the ceiling above the projections heads.

“Do you think they’re going to figure out how it works?” Eames asked quickly.

“Not in time to do us any real harm, no.”

It seemed appropriate that that was the moment the projections chose to take shots at Arthur and Eames again, the bullets chipping at the steps and raining that material down on the projections heads.

Arthur tightened his grip on Eames’s hand and continued to run.


	57. Famous

“Oh my god!”

“Could you please not do this right now?”

“Oh. My. God!!!”

Arthur cringed. Eames seemed just as disturbed by this. It was better than getting shot, but only by a little.

The overexcited enemy dream sharer began to exclaim over how he was their biggest fan! He even forgot to keep pointing his gun at them!

“I’m getting an Annie Wilkes vibe from the young man, darling! If he’s busy hobbling me with a sledgehammer you can get away in time!”

“Be serious, Eames,” Arthur whispered back. “We’ll run together after politely thanking him for those compliments.”


	58. Pet

“I’m working on my terms of endearment,” Arthur said, keeping his eyes on his cards.

Eames laughed. “Does that mean you’ll not say _Mr. Eames_ ever again?”

“No! I love using that as an endearment!”

Eames pretended to examine his cards but didn’t bother to hide his smile.

“I’m considering adding _pet_ to my list of endearments related to you, darling. I’m thinking of taking the entire set of endearments related to _darling_ so nobody else could use them.”

“We should have never played Monopoly last week. It’s given you ideas.” Then Arthur said, “Do you have any threes, babe?”


	59. King

“Oh no,” one of the henchman groaned. “It really is him!”

“This has got to stop. Eames, you promised that this would eventually stop!”

Both henchmen bowed their heads respectfully and said, together, “It’s King Arthur.”

Eames was doing a poor job of hiding how amusing this was, so Arthur pinched him with his free hand.

“Ouch, love, not in front of the subjects!”

The two henchmen were eager to gain Arthur’s favor. “We’re going to run away now so we don’t ruin your work!”

Arthur turned to Eames and said, “Yes, this makes jobs easier, but I’m no king!”


	60. Pay

“It looks like we’ll have to pay the toll, Arthur.”

Arthur reached up and grabbed the mistletoe Eames must have hung from the doorway in the warehouse.

“We don’t have to kiss beneath mistletoe to pay some kind of toll for passage. We kiss because we’ve been caught beneath it. It’s way too early for mistletoe!”

“...and then after we’ve kissed we can pass through!”

“In Ancient Greece it was a symbol of fertility during weddings. Roman enemies would reconcile differences beneath mistletoe because it symbolized peace.”

“I’ll kiss you to get back to work.”

“I’m all for peace, love.”


	61. Purple

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This definitely belongs in the 'Go gallant idiot, Arthur' universe of these drabbles.

“Her favorite color is purple,” Arthur said. “She wanted to have her nails painted, and I couldn’t say no after Cobb said okay.”

“Why would you? It’s nice color, she’s a sweet child,” Eames answered as he got more nail polish remover on a cotton swab. “But why did _your_ nails have to be painted too?”

“I love her and I didn’t really have the heart to argue.”

Eames smiled over the latest example of Arthur going the extra mile for Cobb and Mal’s daughter.

“That was so sweet, darling,” Eames said as he helped Arthur remove the nail polish.


	62. Teeth

“Why did we think it was a good idea to start taking these cases?”

Eames stopped packing up the PASIV and went to Arthur’s side. Their new office was not what someone familiar with criminal dreamshare would expect.

“The money is good and clients are plentiful, love.”

But Arthur and Eames’s most plentiful clients happened to be people with reoccurring dreams.

“I think I’ve seen too many teeth. Falling out, rotting, crumbling...”

In response to Arthur’s distress, Eames mentioned the new client who kept having vulnerability dreams.

“A nudity dream would be a nice change of pace, Eames. Thank you.”


	63. Surprise

Eames woke up when he felt a hand gently shaking his shoulder, heard a voice saying, “Babe, wake up, please.”

“Mysterious intruder,” Eames said, “if you aren’t Arthur, I’ll be forced to fight you with whatever’s at hand near this couch.”

“How romantic. That’s just what I thought you’d say if I tried to surprise you by coming back from my job early.”

Eames stood up and dropped what he’d woken up with already in his hand. The television remote clattered to the floor.

“I could have beaten you senseless with that remote, you know.”

“I’m sure you could, babe.”


	64. Breaking the Rules

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did it! 
> 
> All my projects have been turned in, I don't have incompletes anymore, and my advisors have told me what my grades are! It's over!

“No.”

Eames was sitting across from Phillipa at the table. He didn’t bother to hide his hand of cards from Arthur because Arthur would never look, whether he was playing or not. He was just that nice.

“But Uncle Arthur, Mr. Eames is teaching me a new card game!” Phillipa said, looking as serious as a small child could be when holding a hand of cards several inches away from her face.

Arthur smiled once for Phillipa but glared at Eames.

“You’re not teaching her poker!” Arthur hissed into Eames’s ear. “Cobb will definitely stop letting us babysit for that!


	65. Confusion

Arthur woke up, startled, when Eames gently shook him by the shoulder.

“What’s happened?” Arthur whispered hoarsely.

Still kneeling by the side of their bed, Eames soothingly petted Arthur. “It’s been two hours and I have to check on you, darling; that cute ER doctor said so.”

Arthur frowned and might have glared if it hadn’t felt like it took too much effort. He let his frown do the work. “He wasn’t that cute.”

Eames smiled at Arthur and pressed a kiss against Arthur’s cheek. “See? You’re already sounding less confused. We can celebrate your progress in the morning, love.”


	66. Wrong

“I’m not always right...”

“You could also say ‘Sometimes I’m wrong.’”

Arthur refused to glower at Eames; it wasn’t called for, and of course, he also loved him.

“That’s accurate.” Arthur finally agreed.

Eames smiled and looked down at their Scrabble board. “It’s why it’s good to have access to a dictionary while playing this game, darling. Sometimes I don’t even trust myself.”

Arthur laughed. “I trust you.” He corrected the word he’d attempted to put on the board before Eames questioned its spelling. “Your move!”

Eames looked at the tiles on his rack and then glanced at the board.


	67. Give Up

When Arthur suddenly gave into the endearments, Eames was a little concerned.

“What are you doing, Eames?!”

Eames shushed Arthur. He was busy pressing his bare wrist against Arthur’s forehead, never mind that they were in the warehouse and the rest of the team was watching!

“I’m checking your temperature. Feels okay,” Eames said to himself.

Arthur brushed Eames’s hand away from his face and huffed, “But _why_?”

“You’ve stopped complaining about my endearments!”

Arthur frowned as his cheeks became pink. “Maybe I like them now.”

Eames was still a little worried and dragged Yusuf over for a second opinion.


	68. Elf

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The 'Go, gallant idiot Arthur!' verse has become a thing in this drabble collection and I love it!

“Yeah,” Arthur said while still on the phone.

Eames was waiting to see what this could possibly be about; was it some kind of dreamshare job offer as the holidays approached?

“Of course I can handle it.”

God, Eames loved it when Arthur showed off his competency!

Then Arthur ended the call by saying, “I love you too. Bye.”

“I didn’t know you’ve become so familiar with clients, love.”

Arthur sighed and said, “I’ve got to steal Cobb’s Elf on the Shelf. It’s giving Phillipa nightmares.”

“Let’s get that elf, Arthur,” Eames said, noticing Arthur’s relieved smile at those words.


	69. Dance

“I did it!” Arthur said as he sat on the ground, inches away from his Dance Dance Revolution dance mat hooked up to his game system. Eames stood next to Arthur and looked at the television screen.

“Is it my turn to look silly while getting exercise?”

Arthur patted Eames’s leg and agreed. “Yes. It’s your turn for silly looking aerobic exercise. We’re staying healthy during this pandemic, Eames!”

Eames offered Arthur some help getting up, and once the point man was on his feet he leaned against Eames and stepped on the dance pad to scroll through the choices.


	70. Under

“Are you feeling under the weather?”

Arthur tugged the blanket back over his head again before saying, “I was under the covers before you pulled them off to check on me.”

Arthur didn’t have anything planned. It was just a lazy morning where he didn’t get out of bed at the crack of dawn like usual. But Arthur didn’t want to go into that much detail about it. “I’m just going to sleep in a little, Eames.”

Eames was sitting on the edge of the bed looking over Arthur with concern.

“I’m here if you need me.”

“Thank you, Eames.”


	71. Fire

The smoke alarm was going off, and it was ruining date night.

“Get the alarm,” Arthur said, then coughed into his elbow as he gripped the small fire extinguisher, “while I take care of this!”

Eames argued but was finding a chair to stand on to better reach the smoke alarm. “And you get to do the more dangerous task? Damn, these ceilings are high!”

Arthur extinguished the fire, grimacing over the ruined dinner, the charred pan, and the mess.

The smoke alarm was quiet, and Eames was back at Arthur’s side.

“Let’s order a pizza.”

Arthur sighed, but agreed.


	72. Mischief Managed

Arthur and Eames were cuddled up together in bed.

“One more chapter,” Arthur said. “Please, Eames?”

Eames sighed and pretended like it was some great trial to pick up Arthur’s Kindle to read another chapter with him.

“I know your game, darling. You want me to read the whole Harry Potter series just because of my accent.”

Arthur protested. “You have a nice voice and you try and do all the character voices...but yeah your accent is hot.”

So Eames picked up the Kindle and started to read. “Chapter Seven: The Sorting Hat. The door swung open at once...”


	73. Earth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is linked to the drabble on Day Thirteen. I just wanted something sweet and lovely.

Arthur was planting dwarf sunflower seeds. His fingers were stained with soil, the earth clinging before Arthur carefully brushed it off his hands.

The red chrysanthemums he’d planted weren’t as large as the ones he’d seen in the fall, but he’d been assured these mums would grow strong through the seasons and last through winter.

Arthur smiled at the yellow tulips before moving to the garden wall where Eames was tending the ivy growing on its trellis. Eames’s wedding band glinted silver between all the green.

Arthur had put his own in his pocket so he wouldn’t get it dirty.


	74. Weary

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And this extra early drabble is brought to you by my anxiety. It's awful to watch the news and see my local grocery stores and pharmacies get looted.

They had been up for hours.

Eames brewed a pot of coffee for Arthur, who lived off the stuff.

“For my darling Arthur,” Eames said once the timer went off and the coffee finished brewing.

Arthur offered healthy snacks that would provide energy.

“Have some walnuts,” Arthur said, passing Eames a bowl of walnut pieces while he set his now full cup of coffee on his coaster. It was his third cup.

“I hate late night job research.” Eames didn’t want walnuts but still took a handful anyway.

“Ditto,” Arthur said through a yawn. “I promise we’re almost done, though.”


	75. Tears

“But what’s wrong, Phillipa? You know you can tell me.”

Phillipa continued to cry, sniffling against Arthur’s neck and getting his shirt all wet as she hugged him. Arthur waited for Eames to come back from the kitchen.

* * *

Eames was tearful too.

Arthur stared, unsure if he should put Phillipa down and figure out what the hell happened to Eames. Arthur just walked to Eames while holding Phillipa.

Eames winked at him, mouthed the words ‘chopped onions’, and said, “I just heard the news!”

* * *

“One of her favorite cartoon characters had been killed off, darling...”

Arthur sighed. “That’s never easy.”


	76. Away

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It took everything I had to not make the first line _You and I should get away for awhile_ and then launch into a drabble heavily inspired by "M&Ms" by Blink-182.

Sheltering in place for so long was making them wish for open spaces, new sights. They would have loved to go on a trip or take a vacation, but neither felt it was wise.

They only talked about it in the hypothetical. They’d travel again later on when coronavirus was no longer a threat. These purposely vague plans would be enough for now.

“We could go to Monte Carlo,” Eames was saying idly, his fingers toying with Arthur’s unstyled hair.

“Paris, after that,” Arthur said, because how could he not add Paris if they would already be at Monte Carlo?


	77. Clone

Eames knew it was wrong, but he was developing a crush on Arthur’s clone, his Hollywood actor doppelganger.

Movie nights were now spent with Arthur rolling his eyes over Eames’s choices, and with Eames hugging a pillow and smiling like an idiot as Arthur’s look-alike appeared on screen.

“He doesn’t look that much like me!” Arthur would complain bitterly.

Eames paused the movie on another scene where the clone still looked exactly like the point man.

“He’s very cute, but I just want you to know I love you more than this JGL bloke. You’re my darling, love.”

“Damn straight.”


	78. Tree

_“And the young man climbed the tree to rescue the kitten?”_ The reporter was asking a witness.

_“-as soon as he judged the path up the tall tree, he just started climbing!”_

Now cell phone videos were playing and showed Arthur, suited up for work, climbing back down the tree with a shivering kitten clinging to his shirt.

“You’ve got a heart of gold beneath that bespoke suit, don’t you?” Eames asked as they watched the news together.

The ending shot was of Arthur handing the kitten to a crying little boy.

“I’m ruining my badass reputation,” Arthur softly sighed.


	79. Realistic

“This probably wasn’t the best idea.”

Arthur looked over at Eames and refrained from saying ‘And I mentioned that before, didn’t I?’

It was a mess. A big, annoying mess in their home because Eames suggested they have a party and invite their friends. Big mistake.

“I’ll get the broom and dust pan, you get the garbage bag, and I’m sure we’ll be able to get our place in order much faster,” Arthur said instead of assigning blame.

“How are we going to get that stain out of the carpet? Magic?”

Arthur snorted. “Elbow grease. Come on, let’s get started!”


	80. Innocence

Arthur looked inside the fridge. He closed the door and said, “Okay, which one of you snagged the last pudding cup?”

“I don’t even like pudding,” Ariadne mentioned.

“I don’t need to eat that,” Yusuf said before poking himself in the belly.

And then Eames dragged Cobb by the elbow into the kitchenette. Cobb was holding an empty pudding cup and a spoon.

“Apologize to Arthur,” Eames said. “You ignored the note with his name on it, you’ll wear it till you say sorry.”

“I’m sorry.” Cobb had Arthur’s post-it note stuck to his forehead.

Arthur tried not to laugh.


	81. Death

Arthur was stoic, only saying, “It had a few good years left in it. I’m sure of that.”

Eames agreed. “You treated it so well too. Virus protection, maintenance, and you never ate or drank while sitting in front of it.”

Arthur’s laptop was dead, but the point man would always remember it fondly.

“May I- may I have a moment alone?”

Eames nodded and prepared to leave.

Then Cobb poked his head into the warehouse, as oblivious as ever. “Can we come in now? We’ve got to talk about the job and I—”

“Cobb, please shut up,” Eames sighed.


	82. Can You Hear Me?

It was called noise-induced hearing loss. Arthur only knew that because he’d looked it up. Considering that it could be caused by concerts, explosions, or gunfire, it was amazing that Arthur hadn’t experienced it already.

It was a ringing, buzzing, kind of thing that made it difficult to hear after that last gunfight...and Eames was feeling bad about it. The next forty-eight hours couldn’t pass quickly enough.

Arthur could read Eames’s lips but they soon resorted to passing each other notes or texting messages like _I’m so sorry, love_ or a _< 3 _in reply. They were so silently sappy.


	83. Lake

Arthur had put the cooler full of ice, the bag of sunscreen, their towels, and some snacks into the trunk.

“Come on, Mr. Eames,” Arthur called playfully. “If we wait around any longer we’re going to bake out here before we ever get to the lake!”

“Just looking for my sunglasses, Arthur!”

Eames finally came out wearing his sunglasses and offered Arthur a pair. Eames was holding a couple of paperback novels he wanted to stuff into the sunscreen bag.

Arthur smiled fondly. “You’re just going to read while we’re there, aren’t you?”

“I’m keeping all my options open, love.”


	84. Deep in Thought

“What are you thinking about?”

Eames sort of had a habit where he’d go quiet and look at nothing in particular for a few moments, now and again.

Arthur used to think it was because of boredom or disinterest. But now that they had known each other for so long, and were now together, too, Arthur could look at these episodes differently. No, it wasn’t boredom, really.

Eames came back to himself when he heard Arthur’s voice, and smiled for him. “Sorry, just lost in thought again.”

“Anything interesting?” Arthur asked, honestly curious.

Eames’s smile widened. “This and that, love.”


	85. Fading

“This is just devastating,” Cobb said. “I wish I could tell them how sorry I am...I’ll regret that forever.”

There was silence. Then that silence was broken by Arthur groaning and cracking one eye open.

“You’re a melodramatic idiot.”

“We’re not dying,” Eames croaked. “The newest version of the compound is awful!”

Arthur and Eames were still lying in their lawn chairs, waiting for Yusuf’s verdict.

“The second compound is better than the first- you were passed out for less than two minutes!”

Eames grimaced, but reached for Arthur’s hand. “You’re okay?”

Arthur nodded and only squeezed Eames’s hand.


	86. Fiesta

The job had been over for weeks, but they’d hit the Western side of South America to enjoy the beach in Chile.

They were having a private party!

“Come on!” Eames was wheedling. “Let’s dance on the beach in the moonlight.”

“You’ve had a little too much to drink, Eames,” Arthur said, drunkenly walking across the sand to reach Eames. “ _I’ve_ had a little too much, to be fair.”

He made it to Eames, but they didn’t dance. Eames hugged him for a minute and confessed, “I’m rolling my r’s all over the place, love.”

Arthur couldn’t help but laugh!


	87. Misfortune

“Damn, damn, damn!” Arthur said once he’d gotten the door to their shelter closed and locked. Eames pushed against the door along with Arthur as the zombies threw themselves against it. The door shook in its frame as Eames softly said, “That seems like a good word to describe this hell.”

“When Cobb said, ‘Hey, I had this idea for the dreamscape’ I shouldn’t have agreed,” Arthur huffed, shoving with his shoulder as the door shook.

Eames said. “Look on the bright side, Arthur! We’ll get a big paycheck after this is over!”

“I want a bonus,” Arthur said bitterly.


	88. Dying

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I need all the cute, I need all the love, and this was just too fun to write.

Arthur groaned, dramatically falling backwards onto the couch, clutching the spot he’d been hit by little James’s Nerf foam bullet.

Phillipa rushed to his side. “Don’t worry, I can fix it!”

She put down her own Nerf gun and began to wave her hands over Arthur’s stomach, taking seriously her role of Secret Magic Princess Gunfighter. Then she frowned, saying, “I’m not strong enough...”

“Never fear!” Eames proudly announced. James followed after him and clung to his improvised cape. “I too am a Secret Magic Princess Gunfighter. On my mother’s side!”

“Dying,” Arthur sighed as he slipped off the couch.


	89. Flowers

Arthur accepted the bouquet from the nervous delivery man who rushed off as soon as he was no longer holding the flowers.

“Pet, you shouldn’t answer the door expecting men with guns on the other side.”

Arthur considered this, and then shrugged. It had happened before and he liked to be cautious.

Eames sighed. “I’m so glad I thought to add a generous tip for the poor man.”

Arthur admired his flowers, and then went to search for a vase. “It’s a nice gesture but it’s too sweet.”

“What if I like that, Arthur?”

“You’re giving me cavities, you bastard.”


	90. Test

“Psst,” Eames whispered to Arthur, poking him in the back with a pencil. “What’s the answer for 23?”

“Quit it, Eames,” Arthur whispered back.

Either Arthur was in character for the extraction, or he didn’t like cheating on tests...Why did it have to be math?

The student projections stared, and the mark playing as professor stared at them too, and was about to order everyone back to their tests when Eames’s pencil became a gun.

Arthur sighed so deeply. “Damn.”

He flipped his desk, manifested his gun, and reached for Eames’s hand. “It was 14!”

And then they ran!


	91. Puzzle

Puzzle pieces were scattered everywhere, and Arthur wasn’t eager to pick them up and put them back in the box just so they could easily be found.

He personally wouldn’t mind if many got lost, or were swallowed up by the vacuum, or found their way into the blender.

That was how deeply Arthur resented the new one thousand piece jigsaw puzzle.

And fuck, Eames was still happily putting it together!

Arthur’s resentment of the puzzle and its stupid tie-dye dogs theme was fading in the face of Eames’s contentment.

Arthur got up and began helpfully collecting stray puzzle pieces.


	92. Sandwich

Arthur wasn’t sad; he was livid, but damn Eames and Yusuf for attempting to make jokes at a time like this. They could all die in these temperatures, sheltered or not!

“Don’t be a _sadwich_ ,” Yusuf teased.

“Saito’s rescue chopper will be here soon,” Eames said, now trying to soothe Arthur a little.

Arthur buried his face against Eames’s chest. “Not if the snow ruins the pilot’s visibility...”

Yusuf inched closer so he was cuddling against Arthur’s back, as Eames said, “Think of lovely things. Nice suits, steaming baths, hot cocoa.”

“Flamethrowers,” Arthur hissed.

“That sounds nice,” Yusuf added wistfully.


	93. Breathe Again

“I don’t see why we need to know First Aid,” their pigheaded architect said.

Arthur was looking at whatever was on his Moleskine, making notes that he’d add to something more official when he had the moment. “Because it’s an excellent skill to have, and if you’re going into a dream on my team, you’re going in prepared.”

Eames watched all of this with amusement. Arthur wasn’t saying anything about the Fischer job. He _did_ say, “Learn First Aid and CPR or you’re off the job.”

The architect stormed out, and Eames said, “Take a deep breath, love.”

Arthur did.


	94. Keeping a Secret

“Darling, don’t fret. I only told our closest friends about us.”

Cobb was at a whiteboard, examining someone else’s colorful doodle. Ariadne was near her latest maze. Yusuf was fiddling with some chemistry equipment. Each was attempting to look cool and casual.

“I’m pissed off that you didn’t include me when you shared our secret with a newbie, a madman, and Yusuf, who I’m still not happy with after the damned Fischer job!”

“I sent you an Edible Arrangement as an apology, Arthur!” Yusuf complained.

“If you guys tell _anyone_ , I’ll-”

“We pinky sweared, so it’s official,” Eames promised Arthur.


	95. Effort

Eames looked at his reflection in the mirror, examining the job he did shaving. Arthur gently touched Eames’s shoulder, and Eames turned to face him, waiting for the verdict.

Arthur sighed deeply. “It’s like you shave in the dark.”

Which lead to something like a lecture while Arthur redid the sloppy work.

“I know that you know how to shave,” Arthur commented while finishing the job, rinsing off the left over shaving cream, patting Eames’s face dry with a towel, and then applying Eames’s preferred aftershave.

Arthur kissed Eames lightly on the mouth. “Now you’re ready to meet my mother.”


	96. Playing the Melody

“You’ve got this, babe,” Arthur whispered to Eames, who was sitting at the old piano that lived in Arthur’s apartment far longer than Arthur himself if Eames believed the landlord’s stories.

Phillipa and James were smiling on the screen of Arthur’s laptop for their special Skype call.

“Remember, they’re just as bored as we are during quarantine.”

Eames laughed. “And they can’t even get drunk to pass the time.”

The children began to laugh in response, and Arthur pinched Eames’s arm before moving away from the piano and getting into frame with his guitar.

“Do you have any requests, kids?”


	97. Puppets

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I still regret nothing. And this one is a callback to Day Thirty-Five: Soap Opera.

“It seemed I was lost in that dryer forever...” said the lost sock that had been mysteriously out of circulation in the wash, separated from its mate!

The mate, worn and tired looking despite the fabric softener treatment, sighed, “I never gave up hope that you’d return to me one day.”

Just as Eames was about to get into a neat ‘I fell through an alternate dimension accessed through the dryer’ plotline, Arthur stuck his head into the laundry room and asked, “Are you playing Sock Puppet Soap Opera instead of folding those clothes, Eames?”

“I regret nothing, Arthur!”

“Obviously.”


	98. Gone

Arthur had been looking for his watch for hours. It was _gone_.

When he reached the warehouse, annoyed that he’d have to check his cell phone or laptop for the time, he’d run into Eames, the first person to arrive.

That annoyance faded at the sight of the other man, then flared to life when he noticed something familiar on Eames’s wrist...

“Do I have to ban you from coming to my place after a date, you magpie?”

“But I attracted your attention, right?” Eames said slyly, offering up Arthur’s watch.

“No,” Arthur lied, then quickly took the watch back.


	99. Vampire

Arthur was covering his mouth with both hands, his posture hunched and hunted as he avoided the forger.

“Love, we didn’t know that the mark loved vampires—”

“My fault _again_ ,” Arthur groaned, muffled.

“Neither of us was concerned when that vamp projection bit you earlier, darling...”

Arthur finally stopped covering his mouth, revealing his brand new set of fangs, and spat, “I’m so hungry I can’t think straight.”

“If you feed off me and I die by accident, I’ll wake up and give you the kick,” Eames reasoned.

“...you _do_ smell delicious.”

“Thank you,” Eames said before he was bitten.


	100. 4:29 PM

“When did you decide?”

They were in the back of a taxi, getting further away from LAX where they’d seen Cobb’s triumphant exit (one that deserved excellent background music playing), and left the rest of the team behind to do whatever.

“It was 4:29 p.m, the day before we prepared to fly from Sydney and attempt this madness called inception.”

“Not impossible, just bloody difficult,” Eames said. “Cheers to us for making it out in one piece, love.”

Eames grasped Arthur’s hand and wasn’t rejected.

“I thought if we survived, we should also take a chance on us.”


	101. Break Away

The projection had caught up with Arthur and stopped him dead with a chokehold.

“You’ll never get away in time,” the projection gloated. “Give back what you stole and maybe I won’t kill you.”

Arthur blinked, still trying to break away from the hold, but was sort of thrown by the projection saying such a thing.

“You’re a shitty security projection,” Arthur gasped. “Take him, Eames!”

“With pleasure, darling.”

The projection was confused. Then he was less confused when Eames came up from behind him and viciously punched him in the kidneys! The projection’s grip loosened and Arthur broke away!


	102. Rock

“Am I doing it?” Arthur frantically whispered to Cobb and Mal who looked on, too exhausted to worry over Arthur holding their first child.

Little Phillipa started to fuss as Arthur turned to face Eames, who was sitting in an comfy chair, there to support Arthur, but also to enjoy the show.

Arthur mouthed “Am I?” to Eames.

He was trying to rock the baby to soothe her. Now he was finding some success as he continued, looking down in surprise at his armful of drowsy baby, and then grinning in triumph at Eames.

Eames gave him a thumbs up.


	103. Rain

“I didn’t expect this to happen when I said ‘What will we do during the rain?’”

There were blanket and pillow forts arranged throughout their living room.

Eames’s head appeared from the opening of the nearest fort. “That’s because I live to surprise you!”

“Do we even _have_ this many pillows? Did you get more just for this?”

Eames got out of the fort so he could be closer to Arthur. “Classified. Don’t you want the tour? This first one is just for relaxing,” Eames pointed to another. “ _That’s_ a casino!”

Eames’s enthusiasm was infectious. “Okay, give me the tour!”


	104. Stripes

“I’ve done my research on the mark. He’ll go for this, darling.”

Arthur was standing in front of the mirror, wearing his undershirt and holding the shirt Eames had passed him.

Arthur smiled at Eames and said, “You researched the mark and found out his favorite color?”

The dress shirt had thin lilac stripes. Arthur approved of the suit Eames selected to go with it.

“You’d look good in anything, of course, but since you’re the one going into the field I wanted you to have an extra edge.”

“I’ll knock him dead, won’t I?”

“Just unconscious for the job!”


	105. Study

Though Eames was standing far away, avoiding drawing Arthur’s attention, Arthur sensed him from across the warehouse.

Arthur had been about to take the chocolate donut sitting next to a glazed, a powdered, and a sprinkle covered monstrosity.

Eames scratched out his ‘Arthur likes chocolate’ note when Arthur approached him without a donut.

Arthur snatched Eames’s clipboard and began to read from the page.

“Arthur likes,” Arthur read, “espresso on Fridays, Calvin and Hobbes comics, and...”

Arthur raised an eyebrow at Eames. “This is a short list, Mr. Eames.”

“I’ve only just begun to study you. My data is limited.”


	106. After A Battle

Eames was lying on the couch with an icepack against his head. Arthur approached with a couple of beers and a cup of hot tea. He was trying to make sure Eames didn’t notice he’d turned his ankle during that fight. So far, so good.

The tea was within Eames’s reach on the coffee table. Moving it closer had been a good plan.

“Darling,” Eames was saying, “sit with me and elevate your foot. I want you to feel better too.”

Arthur smiled and did exactly that. He grabbed the remote and began channel surfing for something they’d both like.


	107. Flight

“I think that more dreamsharers will believe it’s possible after they hear about Fischer.”

Arthur laughed with Eames, then picked up another dart and took aim at the dart board on his wall.

Eames was standing a safe distance away from the dart board. He was busy eating pretzels from the bowl Arthur brought for him once they’d gotten into his apartment. This whole ‘life after successfully completing an inception’ was looking pretty good. Eames came home with Arthur, after all.

“I bet you a dollar people will think we’re lying, Eames.”

“Done,” Eames said before Arthur threw the dart.


	108. Magic

“Should I feel bad about this?” Arthur whispered to Eames. James and Phillipa were sitting on the edge of the bathtub, waiting for Arthur to come back with the First Aid kit.

_"Shush, Arthur!”_

Phillipa was telling James a story.

“— and I swear, there was blood everywhere, but Uncle Arthur fixed it.”

“Did it hurt?” James asked while probably eyeing his skinned knee.

“He kissed it better,” Phillipa said with authority. “It always works, trust me.”

Eames smiled. “I should go in there and give them my magic kiss testimonial.”

Arthur rolled his eyes. “Please, no gunshot wound stories, Eames!”


	109. Lock and Key

Even though it was a dreamed up prison, the bars on Eames’s cell were solid enough.

Or that was what Eames thought until Arthur came to his rescue, picked up a chair, and started to _beat_ those bars into spaghetti. The bars were literally flopping out of place and hitting the floor without even making a _clang_ sound!

“How are you doing that?” Eames called from the very corner of the cell where Arthur directed him before brainstorming this idea for getting him out.

“I’ll explain it later,” Arthur said. “I couldn’t find the damned key!”

“You’re the best, darling!”


	110. Silhouette

“You would make a delightful silhouette, Arthur.”

Arthur laughed. “As long as I’m standing in profile!”

Eames wasn’t making a silhouette of Arthur. He was merely practicing the skill for a forgery job, but hearing Arthur’s tone made him want to change Arthur’s opinion on the matter.

“I love your ears, you silly man,” Eames solemnly swore.

“I love them less since I was called Jug Head throughout school.”

Eames had heard those stories and knew that the memories stung.

“Imagine walking in for your big reunion and leaving them struck dumb...”

“Only if you’re my plus one,” Arthur insisted.


	111. Family

Arthur and Eames were sitting in the middle of the living room, examining a series of pictures that had been laid face down on the carpet. Eames reached for another of the photos closest to Arthur, and then flipped it over.

“This is your cousin Joe. He’s mad for sports.”

Arthur nodded and flipped over one of the photos closest to Eames.

“It’s Eleanor, your mother. I’m never ever to call her Ellie or Nell, unless I want her to hate me.”

“It sounds like we’re both ready to meet each other’s family for Christmas, love!”

Then they triumphantly high-fived!


	112. Mirror

Eames knew that Arthur loved him, at least unconsciously loved him, when Arthur started to mirror Eames’s movements during briefings. It was much more subtle than a simple bit of mimicry, and at times, Arthur didn’t notice that he’d performed it until a beat after Eames had changed his own position and Arthur followed along smoothly.

“How did I know?” Eames asked Arthur, who was waiting patiently in a pose that was all him. Eames had already adopted it and smiled a private smile because of the irony of the question. “I suppose you didn’t have to say a word...”


	113. Poison

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today's prompt is related to Day Eighty-Eight: Dying.

“Oh no,” Phillipa cried in anguish, “he’s been _poisoned!”_

“Poison!” James said, adding his own shock.

Phillipa’s Nerf gun was dropped to the floor as she rushed to Arthur’s side, eagerly pulling him to where Eames had collapsed. The cup of soda Eames drank was left on its side on the floor, completely empty.

Eames gasped. “I’m afraid being a Secret Magic Princess Gunfighter does me no good right now...I can’t heal myself...haven’t taught Phillipa yet...oh no, I’m dead.”

And then Eames convincingly played dead.

Arthur fell to his knees and dramatically cried out. “Damn you, Pepsi!”


	114. Kick in the Head

Eames shut his hotel room door, back from the _single greatest date in his life_ , and had to restrain himself from doing something embarrassing. That included anything from playing a love song so he could sing along to laughing like an idiot because of his luck.

So Eames decided that falling on his bed so he could smile at the ceiling was the best option. He might sleep, but was just too happy.

Then there was a knock on the door followed by Arthur saying: “We’ve got important work tomorrow, Eames. Get some sleep so I won’t regret our date!”


	115. Chapter 115

I’m so sorry, everyone. I intended to continue the daily prompts but I just don’t think I have it in me anymore. I’m not posting today’s prompt, or any other for this drabble collection.

I promise that I’ll take the remaining prompts I had selected for the rest of the month and use them for later works, but I believe that this marks the end of my Arthur/Eames drabbles.

I hope you enjoyed these drabbles, I can’t believe I made it almost four months!

Thank you for reading, commenting, or offering kudos. You’re all wonderful.

Hugs and kisses,

slashmania


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